1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus, which is provided with a recording unit which can perform recording more silently than regularly.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, an image communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus or the like is always connected to a telephone line or network to record received image data night and day.
Therefore, a conventional image communication apparatus such as a facsimile apparatus or the like has setting means for performing setting about whether a ringing tone at a receive time of a ringing signal is rung or not rung. The image communication apparatus is set to a state that a ringing tone is not rung by the setting means, so that, even when a ringing signal is received from another communication apparatus through a communication line, a ringing tone is not rung. Thus, the noise-reducing effect at midnight or at a similar situation can be achieved to some extent.
However, there is a problem that, even if a ringing tone is set to non-ringing and a ringing signal is received without ringing a ringing tone, noises due to a recording for received image data occur, which results in insufficient noise-reducing effect.
Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-151906, a facsimile apparatus provided with a recording unit having means for performing recording more silently than at a regular recording to suppress noises at a recording time has been proposed. In the invention described in the above publication, however, since setting of a silent-record mode and a ringing setting of a ringing tone are performed independently from each other, and operation or recording is conducted according to each setting, there occurs a problem that, even if the ringing tone is set to non-ringing, noises due to recording occur, which results in insufficient noise-reducing effect.
In case that recording is performed in a silent-record mode, recording can be performed in a noise-suppressing manner as compared with a regular record mode but such a problem that a recording speed is lowered occurs. For example, in case that copying or memory reception recording is performed, particularly, in case that data amount is much, there is a problem that, when recording is performed in a silent record mode, a process time becomes longer, which results in deterioration of a working efficiency of an operator.